Wells House Kindergarten

Wells House Kindergarten Ringley Road, Stoneclough, RADCLIFFE, Manchester, M26 1FS

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/05/2013 01/04/2009

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are provided with a broad range of learning experiences across all seven areas of learning. The learning environment is well resourced and planned for with good quality equipment which offers children interest and challenge.  Their individual needs and next steps are well planned for. As a result, all children show good progress in their development.  There is an extremely strong focus on teaching children to be kind and caring and considerate to others or those who are less fortunate than themselves.  Children behave well and are happy and settled. Consequently, they become confident learners.  The manager and the whole staff team demonstrate a strong commitment to drive continuous improvement. Self-evaluation, action plans and targets for the future development of the setting are realistic and achievable.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope for the further development of the outdoor area in order to provide all children with more interesting and challenging experiences.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities children took part in.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager and childcare staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a range of documentation including risk assessments, safeguarding, complaints policies and procedures, children's learning journeys and profiles.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.

p.2

Information about the setting

Wells House Kindergarten was registered in 1996 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a detached property in the Stoneclough, an area of Bolton, and is managed by Playsafe Nurseries Limited. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a five playrooms on the ground and first floor and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm for 52 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 77 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend the educational programmes in the outdoor area for all children so that they can enjoy rich varied and imaginative play experiences, for example, by providing stimulating resources which are accessible so that they can be used, moved and combined in a variety of ways.

p.3

who attend

The staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. As a result, they know their key children extremely well and, using the information from the children's observations, plan activities and experiences to meet each child's individual development needs. Children's progress is consistently tracked against the Development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage which means that any gaps in their learning are identified and planned for focused activities. This also ensures that the activities provided have depth and breadth across the seven areas of learning. There is a strong focus on involving parents in sharing their observations of children and planning children's next steps with their key person. This is done in a variety of ways, such as verbally and more formally at review meetings and at the progress check at age two. Good staff ratios ensure that children are continuously supported and their spontaneous play is encouraged.

p.3

who attend

The learning environment in each of the children's rooms is well-organised to provide good quality learning opportunities and resources. This enables children to become independent, to play and to explore. All resources are placed at low-level in the baby room, which enables babies to independently crawl and help themselves to equipment. The management team and staff have identified the outdoor area as a key area for improvement to ensure that children can play and learn in a well-organised, challenging and exciting environment which complements their learning indoors.

p.3

who attend

Although there are no children currently attending who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff show a very good knowledge of child development and where to seek additional support when needed. This shows commitment to narrowing the achievement gap for such children, so that no child gets left behind.

p.4

who attend

The staff have a good understanding of child development and are enthusiastic in providing a stimulating environment for children. For example, staff in the baby room are developing a black and white area to provide the best stimulation for babies vision. The staff mainly focus on the three prime areas of learning in the younger children's rooms. As a result, children develop well in their communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Children develop early writing skills well as the staff are skilful at promoting and developing this. Pre-school children practice by overwriting simple sentences to label their work before progressing to writing the words themselves. They are encouraged with appropriate praise and acknowledgement by staff as their work is displayed in the room. The introduction of 'Chatterbox', as children bring items from home, is used to promote discussion at circle time and enables children to talk

p.4

who attend

about what they have done at home or their favourite toy or story. This helps children to become confident communicators and prepares them well for the next stage in their learning. Activities, such as board games, enable children to learn concepts of sharing and taking turns while consolidating their knowledge of number. Consequently, children are well-prepared for the move to school when the time comes.

p.4

who attend

Planned activities, such as exploring media and materials introduce pre-school children to notice what happens when they put different colours of paint together. For example, they learn that red and yellow mixed together makes orange, and know that red and blue make purple. While toddlers are encouraged to make marks as they explore shaving foam. Children are introduced to the natural world through planting and growing activities and they recently built a 'bug hotel' in the outdoor area.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

All children access a variety of sensory experiences, such as treasure baskets, collage materials, musical instruments, sand and water which help them to respond to what they can see, hear, smell, touch and feel. In the pre-school room, staff spend time exploring emotions with children, for example, what makes them 'happy' and 'sad' by using 'Sunny Girl' the Persona doll.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

There is an extremely strong focus on teaching children to be kind and caring and considerate to others or those who are less fortunate than themselves. As a result, children are involved in a variety of community activities, such as fundraising for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and delivering Christmas hampers and making wall-hangings for the local elderly persons home. They are encouraged to remember and talk about significant events in their lives and their experiences in a positive way. For example, recently the pre-school room's pet hamster died. Children celebrated its life by wearing bright clothing to nursery and releasing helium balloons into the air.

p.4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The effective key person system and the warm interaction between staff and the children ensure that all children form positive and trusting relationships with the staff. Detailed information is gathered from parents about children's likes, dislikes, interests and abilities from the outset. Staff use this information as a baseline assessment to build on and plan for children's progress. Parents are provided with personal information about their child's key person, which also helps to build relationships. Staff are attentive, sensitive and caring towards the children, helping them to feel safe and secure. During times of transition as children move from room to room, children embark on short taster sessions with their key person. Parents comment positively on the way this is handled to ensure children settle and feel secure; they remain happy and confident in their play and interactions with their peers and adults. The nursery has successfully built strong community links with a local

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

school which enables it to prepare children for school and their next stage in learning.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Lunch times are particularly well used by staff to develop children's independence skills, such as encouraging the babies to feed themselves with a spoon. Children show good levels of knowledge and understanding of their own needs. For example, pre-school children freely access fresh fruit throughout the day and enjoyed eating pears, apples or bananas. All meals are freshly prepared on the premises from fresh ingredients which ensure children benefit from a healthy diet. After lunch, children eagerly go to the bathroom to clean their teeth, which promotes children's growing understanding of the importance of their personal health and hygiene.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

All children have access to the outdoor area on a daily basis which ensures they benefit from fresh air and exercise to promote their good health and well-being. Babies sleep warmly wrapped up in prams in the outdoor area under a canopy, with parents' permission. Once every two weeks, children engage in physical activities provided by an external educational provider. Through this children learn about the importance of warming up their bodies before exercise and the importance of physical activity in keeping their bodies healthy. Pre-school children develop their physical skills and coordination further by attending weekly swimming lessons.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff are skilful in using opportunities to teach children how to keep themselves safe in a non-threatening way. For example, following the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood' pre- school children discussed 'stranger danger' and what they should do if someone approached them. Children use resources with care and help to tidy away toys after use. Any conflict situations which arise are handled sensitively and calmly by the staff which enables children to develop good negotiation and cooperation skills, such as taking turns.

p.5

provision

Children are safeguarded by an effective staff team who have a very good understanding of safeguarding and keep up-to-date with training. Robust systems are in place to ensure the suitability of staff and students; this includes appropriate vetting checks, rigorous induction programmes and appraisals. The manager and the staff place high priority on providing a safe environment to protect children. There is a key coded lock at the entrance door and closed circuit televisions ensure sleeping children are monitored at all times, for example, when babies are asleep outside. All visitors sign in and their identity is verified before they gain entry to the nursery. Risk assessments are of good quality and reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that children continue to be cared for in a high-quality, safe environment. There is a strong focus on children learning to take risks in a safe environment and staff are vigilant as children play and explore in the indoor

p.6

provision

and outdoor environments. Accident and medication records are maintained accurately which promote children's safety and well-being. A secure system for the recording of medication being administered to children effectively promotes their well-being. For example, only the manager or deputy manager gives medication which is then countersigned by the child's key person.

p.6

provision

The management team has a secure understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have designated areas of responsibility, such as a positive behaviour coordinator or an outdoor play coordinator which gives them a sense of pride in their work. The whole staff team are enthusiastic and motivated and are eager to put new ideas and learning into practice. As a result, they demonstrate a strong commitment to improvement by reflecting on their practice and through self-evaluation which includes the views of parents and children. Action plans are put in place at the beginning of each year and target dates for completion are set. These include the refurbishment of the pre-school room and creating specific learning areas in each of the children's rooms. This means that strengths and weaknesses are accurately identified, time-limited and actions taken to overcome these are achievable

p.6

provision

Parents are supportive of the work of the nursery and value the warm, homely environment provided for children. They comment positively on how the staff are friendly, approachable and keep them fully informed of their children's progress verbally on a daily basis. Monthly newsletters keep them informed about the learning topics the children will be taking part in. They are invited to discuss their child's needs and progress with their child's key person more formally on a regular basis and are able to add their own comments. From this, the key person and parents identify and agree children's next steps in their learning. Daily diaries, particularly for the younger children, are beneficial as they record children's individual care and sleep routines which ensures consistency of care is maintained well.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.7

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 316028 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 914418

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 77 Name of provider Playsafe Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 01/04/2009 Telephone number 01204 571 777

p.8

Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.8

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.8

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

p.9

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10